Something I Learned Today

I’m still trying to find a suitable host site for music, I won’t go over my laundry list of problems with Yahoo briefcase. Narrowed it down to either Xdrive, Mac, or Idrive Either way, some MP# files from my personal collection soon. In the interim check out the following sites for free MP3’s specializing in the garage punk, punk rock ‘n’ roll genre:

Epitonic is the premier source for full mp3 files from a variety of musical styles. Requires a sign up, but I have never been hassled with regards to unsolicited email, adware, etc. I’ve been able to pick up on some many great bands quickly and easily via Epitonic.

Estrus Records
Estrus has been putting out quality garage punk and broken blues for at least 15 years now. Line up has included the Mummies, the Monomen, Man or Astro Man? Soledad Brothers, etc. Plenty of quality can be found on their sounds page.

Crypt Records
Crypt has been quiet the past couple of years, issuing only one album by a new band ( Little Killers ) and several reissues. Tim Warren has been reissuing classic 60’s punk for years in the “Back from the Grave” & “Teenage Shutdown” series. The heyday for new music was the early to mid 90’s when Crypt releases couldn’t miss - fantastic records from the Gories, Nine Pound Hammer, the Oblivians, Bantam Rooster and so many others. To hear some of these fine bands check out the Crypt radio page.

Big Neck Records
formed in Buffalo, Big Neck cut their teeth by issuing some of Buffalo’s finest punk and roll bands - Blowtops, Baseball Furies, Tyrades, etc. Earning a reputation os purveyors of fine product they attracted the likes of Bantam Rooster, the Ponys, and the Lost Sounds. An excellent selection of tunes can be had from here

Ghetto Recorders
Detroit’s Jim Diamond has become quite the underground rock cult figure, producing bands at his studio, giving it that special “recorded in a basement” sound that is all the rage today. Here you can listen to those who’ve stopped by his place.

You Got Rocked!
A useful site full of reviews, pics, sounds, and more. The site doesn’t seem to be hopping with activity, but links to loads of free mp3’s abound

in the long run this will be dedicated to the sounds that keep me interested in music. Therefore, all of the personal diary crap will soon reside here

More music in the next couple of days. In the interim, why not read the Dirtbombs Australian tour diary? (link courtesy of burnedbythesun)

Directed directly at Yahoo - their piece of shit briefcase tool doesn’t provide a direct URL to the files I loaded. Every time I access the files the URL is slightly different and the previous links expire ( despite me setting the never expire tag! )

Fuck it man!

If anyone wants to download the music go to my briefcase site. I’m contemplating using XDrive, but I’m not sure if it is worth it at $9.95 a month. I mean I can listen to this shit for free on my own. I don’t think anyone else is listening, reading, what have you.

Screw it - it’s only the middle of May and the heat and humidity are through the roof. I’m tired and frustrated. Long weekend of visiting and drinking ahead. Time to get some sleep.

I was finally able to post some mp3’s - Take a gander to the right - not sure how happy I am with Yahoo briefcase, but it seems to fill the need at the moment.I’m not sure how long these will last or if I’ll update these. I guess it depends upon the amount of interest.

I chose these intial songs as a reprentation of some of my all time favorite artists. This is the stuff I still listen to 15-20 years later. Am I stuck in a time warp? Sure but that’s only because I’m completely underwhelmed by modern music. I’m easy to please, some guitar, some melody, perhaps some screaming/yelling. I abhor the “wall of sound” technique and the heavyhanded use of studio magic so prevalent today. 24 tracks? 20 tracks to many. The grittier the better!

Motorhead - “Limb from Limb“
Motorhead was one of the first metal/punk bands I ever heard. My first exposure was listening to “killed by death” on KNAC in LA in the mid 80’s. I was amazed by the bass sound and the harshness of Lemmy’s voice, not to mention the whole “hard on the eyes” look. A welcome change from glam metal. As I got older I abandoned most of my one metal records, but Motorhead has stood the test of time. The track I listed is the album closer from 1978’s “Overkill” and sums up everything I love about the ‘Head: thick and dirty guitar, gravelly vocals, a dark sense of humor in the lyrics.

Husker Du- “Something I Learned Today
One of the most awe inspiring and life changing bands for me was Husker Du. I don’t have the words or the time to explain, but the huskers were something special. Too many classic albums in such a short time period to discuss=- Zen Arcade, New Day Rising, Flip your Wig, etc. It’s all there: the amazing sound Bob Mould pulled from his guitar, the dueling vocals of Bob and Grant Hart, the gut wrenching melody shrouded in noise, the perfect pop sensibility. It’s a shame they will most likely never perform together again. “Something…” is the album opener from the 1984 classic double album “Zen Arcade”

Didjits - Agent 99
Take Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, ACDC, and the Ramones, throw them in blender and out pop’s The Didjits. Classic R’N'R riffs turbocharged with snotty vocals. Everything I was looking for in the early 90’s when the clerk at Record Time in Rochester recommended it. bought Full Nelson Reilly and never looked back. Agent 99 is the lead track from 1993’s “Que Sirhan Sirhan”

Hammerhead - Slumberyard
Hammerhead were in my opinion the best band in the AmRep stable. The perfect noiserock band, bludgeoning yet melodic. To me their sound always evoked images of space, stars, and darkness This is from their first album, 1993’s “Ethereal Killer”, All three of their albums rock, 1994’s “Into the Vortex” being the best.

New Bomb Turks - Deathbedside Manner
the Turks the best “punk” band of Nineties. Pummeling guitar, fast beats, twangy vocals, lyrics laced with wordplay. Still going today, the albums aren’t as solid as they once were, but still contain enough gems to make purchase worthwhile. I spent much of 1992-1994 trying to track down their numerous singles. The song above was on a single, nicely repackaged into “Pissing Out the Poison”. I’m not sure what prompted me to pick this song from so many, perhaps because it had been so long since I heard it.

Enjoy these - more soon.

Apparently Sleater-Kinney played at Hamilton College on May 1 - a cool show which of course means I wasn’t there. I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it, though - I’m feeling mighty old for these punk rock kinda shows. Last small venue show I saw was the Reverend Horton Heat in Syracuse, March 2002. The club was packed full of hooligans smoking and drinking despite looking suspiciously-close-to-being-underage. The kind of annoying alterna-wannabes who have perfect hair and clothes but don’t give a shit about the music. I was incredibly annoyed by the constant chattering, spilled drinks, and repeated cigarette burns. The Rev rocked as usual, just a fantastic performance that we bailed on early due to all the crap. A month later we caught Bob Mould at a theatre in Boston. Everyone in their seats, polite clapping, etc. Somewhere there must be a happy medium…

Speaking of the good reverend, a new album called “Revival” is set to appear June 29. And speaking of live shows, Reverend Horton Heat takes it on the road to Buffalo on Monday May 24 with the Detroit Cobras and the fabulous Mr. Airplane Man. I’d love to go, but alas Buffalo is 130 miles away and the show is on a Monday for chrissakes. Well, that and I’m OLD and don’t have the desire or drive I once had.

Finally.. found this interesting site. Fugazi is selling live CD’s that the band has recorded over the past 17 years. CD’s are $8-$10 a piece with 20 shows to choose from. What an awesome way to give back to the fans. Imagine what the music industry would be like if all respected their fans and didn’t try to bleed them dry. It does exist, you just ain’t going to here it on Clearchannel station.

I would say don’t try the download of the mp3 as it isn’t working, but that assumes someone is reading - which isn’t the case.

I gotta pay the man ( in this case Yahoo ) if I want to share some music. Is it worth it?

the sound of crickets permeates the air…

At least I’m amusing myself!

Note: right click and save as to download mp3
The first of my MP3’s:
Double Negative by Hammerhead - dark, depressing rage music from Minneapolis, circa 1994. I listened to this album for several months straight. One of those life changing bands for me. Arguably the best band to appear on the impressive Amphetamine Reptile label.

Band dissolved in 1996 or 1997, with 2/3 of the band reappearing as the mighty Vaz, and Paul Sanders retiring from the music business ( I think?)

I’ll add some Vaz tunes at some point. Stay tuned